Kenneth

Murray Jr.

The “compensation” is apparently a late-round pick swap, suggesting the 26-year-old would have been released otherwise. The 2020 first-round bust of the Chargers wasn’t much better for the Titans last year, but he managed to take the field for more than 800 snaps. The Titans, of course, earned the No. 1 overall pick as the worst team in the league. Murray hasn’t looked like a starting-caliber player through what has now been a half decade in the NFL. It’s hard to believe that will change in Dallas. He is currently in the midst of a lengthy rehabilitation from wrist surgery.

It puts his training camp status in jeopardy. Murray is under contract for 2025, but his cap number of $10 million may be untenable and the Titans could save $7.5 million against the cap by releasing him. Murray was inactive for the last two games of the season after trying to play through the injury in Weeks 15 and 16. He finished the year with 3.5 sacks, 95 combined tackles, and two passes defensed.

The Titans’ inactives list contains multiple injuries on the defensive side of the ball. Though CB Chidobie Awuzie (groin) is returning and DT T’Vondre Sweat (shoulder) is active, CB Roger McCreary is out with a shoulder injury. Linebackers Kenneth Murray (hamstring) and Jerome Baker (neck) are also out for Week 14 against the Jaguars.

Sweat didn’t practice at all this week, but the questionable tag gives him a shot at getting in some reps over the weekend before suiting up on Sunday. Linebacker Kenneth Murray is also questionable after missing all three sessions. Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky noted that Murray told reporters the plan is for him to play. Kuharsky added that he expects Sweat to be a go as well. The two have combined for 4.5 sacks and 19 TFLs this year.

Another first-round Chargers bust, Murray had his fifth-year team option declined last spring before going on to have a shaky 2023, albeit one where he played every snap. Headed into his age-26 campaign, Murray can at least absorb snaps for a Titans defense undergoing a ton of transition this offseason. Murray could have trouble remaining a three-down player if he doesn’t soon improve against the run.

An ankle that required offseason surgery sapped Murray’s 2021 season and he didn’t start playing better until down the stretch in 2022. It was an easy option to decline for the Chargers. Murray could still re-establish himself as a potential starter somewhere with a better 2023 season.

Murray has been brutal in his first three seasons, but did look a little better late in the season as he got further away from an offseason ankle injury. It makes sense that the Chargers wouldn’t guarantee him future money at this point. Sports Info Solutions charted him with 20 missed tackles last season -- that number probably needs to go into the lower double-digits if he wants to make a case to get a real contract in free agency following next season.

Murray began training camp on the PUP list, so he has been watching from the sidelines thus far. Murray’s return means he will be activated from the PUP list once transactions are made official. Though this is a good sign for his health, it’s no guarantee that he will be ready for Week 1. Murray missed over a month of the 2021 season because of an ankle injury. He would eventually go under the knife in the offseason to fix the issue for good. Murray totaled 31 combined tackles and a pair of TFLs in his 11 appearances last year.

Murray had ankle surgery early in the offseason and did absolutely nothing in OTAs or minicamp. He’s likely truly questionable for Week 1 at this point. Troy Reeder and Drue Tranquill could be the starting tandem if Murray isn’t able to get cleared before the season. Murray is coming off a disappointing 2021 season and really could have used an impressive training camp to get into Brandon Staley’s good graces.

It sounds like Murray will be questionable for training camp after undergoing ankle surgery. He may be a candidate for the PUP list. Through his first two NFL seasons, Murray has struggled badly. In his defense, he was asked to play as an EDGE player at times last year, but this is beginning to look like a first-round bust. Murray’s PFF run defense grade fell to 43.3 in 2021.